New Website in Chinese Aims to Close Information Gap on Tibet

September 15, 2008

International Campaign for Tibet
September 11th, 2008

Designed to fill the information gap on Tibet for a broader Chinese-
speaking audience, a new website in Chinese www.liaowangxizang.net
underwritten by the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) launches
today.

Rinchen Tashi, Deputy Director for Chinese Outreach at ICT said,
"Despite advances in China's internet infrastructure and information
technology, the Chinese people have few options to get information on
Tibet other than official Chinese sources." Tashi added that
"understanding that a unidirectional flow of information is not in the
long-term interest of the Chinese and Tibetan people, we have launched www.liaowangxizang.net
to provide a holistic view of the issues surrounding Tibet."

In the absence of an alternative news source, many Chinese people
continue to hold a negative impression of Tibetans and the Dalai Lama.
While such a situation may serve the short-term political interest of
the leadership in Beijing, it will not contribute to the unity and
stability of the People's Republic of China. In fact, a group of
Chinese scholars wrote a letter on March 22, 2008 in which they
stated, "...the one-sided propaganda of the official Chinese media is
having the effect of stirring up inter-ethnic animosity and
aggravating an already tense situation. This is extremely detrimental
to the long-term goal of safeguarding national unity. "

In the immediate aftermath of the March demonstrations in Tibet, the
Chinese propaganda machine depicted Tibet and Tibetans in very
negative terms which resulted in heightened racial tension between
Chinese and Tibetans.

What is needed is to find and encourage common ground between Tibetans
and Chinese in order to foster coexistence of the two cultures in
whatever political future Tibet will have. Tibetan Buddhism is one
such area that can contribute to bringing the two societies closer
together. In a message to www.liaowangxizang.net Arjia Rinpoche, a
prominent Tibetan Buddhist, and abbot of Kumbum Monastery in Tibet,
quoted a traditional Chinese saying, "Chinese and Tibetans have a
channel; This forum is the golden bridge."

"www.liaowangxizang.net highlights different aspects of Tibetan
Buddhism, and in particular focuses on areas of particular interest to
the Chinese community," said Pema Wangyal, ICT's China Analyst, who
coordinates outreach to Chinese Buddhists.

"Already there are increasing numbers of Chinese people benefiting
from the spiritual foundation of Tibetan Buddhism," Wangyal said,
adding, "Historically, too, Buddhism has been a major force in the
relationship between Tibetan and Chinese rulers."
www.liaowangxizang.net provides visitors with more features and
options to not only get updated information on Tibetan issues, but it
also acts as an social community, where Tibetans and Chinese can
exchange views in a spirit of frankness and respect.

"The site has a blog where anyone can post their view. We are
committed to publishing all perspectives as long as they are presented
respectfully," Tashi said. He added "It is our hope that through this
website the Chinese speaking community, particularly those within
China, will get a better understanding of all things related to Tibet
and Tibetans."